Online shopping spikes in the forth quarter every year during the holiday season. This spike pulls the rest of the year with it. Every year online shopping brings in new people online to buy, and those people sign on again during the regular calendar year. They become online shopping regulars and often tell others about the benefits from online shopping. People who were wary before about online shopping give it a try after they see their friend’s enjoyment.

Online shopping is also showing an increase due to many new online merchants. Online shopping customers have more choices on the internet then they ever had before. Online shopping business may offer unique items, or hard to find items that local business don’t carry. As more merchants hit the cyber world, online shopping revenue goes up. Antique businesses make up the majority of new online merchants. Instead of being limited to a local area, antique business owners have discovered that an online business caters to the whole world.

Online shopping also has become more cutthroat with competition. Online shoppers can find better deals then anywhere else. Not only do other online shopping stores price match with other online shopping stores, but retailers must price accordingly to online pricing. Online shopping auctions have also contributed to the online shopping growth. Online auctions offer head to head competition between venders which drives down pricing. This attracts more online shopping users to the internet.

The increase in broadband availability has contributed to the increase in online shopping. With faster internet connections, shoppers don’t need to have patients.  The wait time for an online store’s web page to load is much quicker on broadband than it is on dial up. As more people switch to a broadband connection, more people use online shopping.

Online shopping increase can be contributed to local retailers with web pages desire to online shop. Online shopping allows big retailers to cut down on staff and operating hours. A smaller staff means smaller payroll and no benefits to pay. When the business is being directed to the web site and away from the store, the company can staff accordingly. Also, companies can cut down on operating hours. This saves costs on payroll and utilities.

We call these trends because we never know how the future will evolve. Two decades ago, strip malls were the future; today it is online shopping; tomorrow, who knows.

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Many retailers don’t limit the use of gift cards to the retail store itself. They will gladly accept them at their online shopping store. From the comfort of your couch, just type in the company’s web address and your at the store. Find the product you want and put it into your shopping cart. If you are not sure of what product you want, browse around without getting on your feet. When you find something you like, place it into the online shopping cart and check out using the gift card.

The biggest hesitation people have about online shopping is waiting for the product to arrive. This should not be your concern as a gift card holder. You had to wait this long for after Christmas for your gift anyway, so what are a few more days? There is a good chance that your desired product will not be in stock at the local store, especially after the busy holiday season. Waiting for the product to arrive may be unavoidable anyway. So, sit home, make a few clicks, and find something else to do until the product arrives.

Second to wait time, shoppers are afraid of online shopping because they do not want to reveal their credit card information to the cyberspace world. Well, with a gift card you don’t have to worry about that. A gift card has no record of your personal information, so there are no risks. Buying gift card for yourself and using them for online shopping is not a bad idea either if you are afraid of credit card fraud. Gift cards for many different retail outlets are available at your local pharmacy; therefore, a trip to the actual store is avoidable.

Keeping the gift card at a secure location in your home prevents it from being lost or stolen. That’s right, reserving the gift card for online shopping keeps it out of harms way from crooks and your own clumsiness. Gift card are just like cash and the retail store does not keep a record of them. So if you lose your 50 dollar gift card, it is like losing a 50 dollar bill. It is impossible to get your money back. Keep the gift card at home close to your computer, where it is safer than your coat pocket.

Convenient stores need to drop the word convenient from their title, because online shopping is much more convenient. Plus online shopping doesn’t raise their prices for being convenient. In fact, the competition involved with online shopping helps consumers find better deals. In other words, you can get more value out of your gift card by with online shopping.

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Online shoppers expect the same security and product quality that retail stores provide. They want the online shopping process to be as just as easy and safe as going to the mall. However, the cyber world, like the real world, is full of faults and insecurities. Whether it is a simple computer malfunction or a scam artist trying to make a living, online shopping comes with all the regular shopping hazards plus more.

In a recent survey, online shopping customers were most concerned with:

• Receiving the product on time or in a timely matter
• Identity theft, personal information being stolen
• Personal information sold to third parties
• Not receiving the right product, or product was not as described
• Dishonest online venders

Don’t be discouraged about online shopping. Just like online shopping, retail shopping at a shopping mall comes with many risks of its own. At malls you are still revealing credit card numbers and checking account numbers with personal information. Also, you are at risk with receiving physical injury from a mugger or robber. It is virtually impossible to receive physical injury from online shopping unless you maxed out the credit cards and angered your spouse.

However, this article focuses on cautions while online shopping. Here are a few safety tips to help prevent you from being scammed while shopping online.

Don’t use a debit card for online shopping purposes. A debit card gives an online scam artist access to your entire checking or savings account. Unlike debit cards, many credit card companies offer purchase appeals on suspected online shopping purchases.

Update your security software before you go online shopping. Make sure the anti virus and firewalls are up to date too. When ever you get to the check out screen of a online shopping website, check the web address bar for the letters https:/ before the web address. If it is missing an S, the website is insecure.

To avoid spam emails and annoying advertisement emails, use an alternative email address for your online shopping. Most email accounts are free. Giving out a separate email address from you regular email account will avoid clogging up your main email account with spam mail.

Only do business with online shopping companies that list their physical address. Be suspicious if a PO Box or a suite number is the only form available. A phone number should be listed also. If you are still unsure about an online company with a physical address and phone number, at least you can contact them to check them out further.

Lastly, it is always important to use your instincts. If alarms go off in your head about a certain online shopping web site, listen to them and move on.


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Don’t let bad weather or even good weather ruin your planned shopping day. No one likes to travel in rain or snow. If this includes you, don’t do it. Sit at your computer desk, or sit on your couch with your laptop and go online shopping. Shopping during beautiful weather is difficult too. Who wants to be trapped indoors when they can go shopping outdoors? Instead of pacing though the long dark hallways in shopping malls, sit outside on your deck; catch some rays, while you make a reservation for a self storage unit.

Besides, rainy weather brings crowds to the malls. Have you ever gone to a shopping mall on a rainy Saturday afternoon? Then you know how hard it is to find a parking spot. Maybe your one of the lucky few that seems to always find a good parking spot. If not, you will look like you have just fallen for the water bucket above the door trick. Once inside the shopping mall, you will have to fight other soggy people with squeaky shoes over who was first in line. You’re better off waiting for nice weather before deciding to go to the shopping mall. But a better solution is to go online shopping so you can still enjoy the nice weather.

If you have a laptop with a wireless modem or a wireless network card, you can do your online shopping practically everywhere. So, when the weather calls for a beach day, you can sit in a beach chair under an umbrella, sip on a margarita, while buying bidding on Native American Indian pottery at an online shopping auction website. On the contrary, maybe you are in the mountains on a beautiful ski vacation. While sitting in the cabin waiting for the blizzard to quite down, you are online shopping for a self storage unit to put away your winter storage when you return home. If online service is available, online shopping can be done anywhere at anytime.

Just like how weather doesn’t affect the access to online shopping, time of day doesn’t disturb online shopping access. If retail store hours don’t cater to you busy schedule, online shopping does. The internet never closes; it is always open for business. So if you can’t get to the shopping mall during normal business hours, you can shop the same stores 3 o’clock in the morning. Online shopping caters to everyone’s schedule.

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At first the self storage property manager begins to panic as he has realized that he had forgotten about his mother’s birthday. Is it too late for him to buy and send her a gift all the way across the country? He felt like he was trapped inside a self storage unit, until he caught sight of his computer. Quickly, he found an online shopping web site that could send flowers for overnight delivery.

Online shopping bailed out this fictional self storage property manager, and it could save your real life relationship with your mother too. We’ve all been in this situation, where we almost forgot a love ones birthday and need to send a gift fast. Online shopping has many benefits which include sending gifts on time. One has to wonder why they need to leave home anymore.

Right now, as you read this sentence, millions of online shoppers are online shopping from their desk at work. Now shoppers can cut down on extensive shopping breaks and be more productive, because they don’t have to leave work to shop. Avoiding long lines caused by everyone having the same idea to shop during their lunch break is a huge plus.

Online shopping allows shoppers to shop everywhere in the world from one location. Every major retailer now offers online shopping. You can find the same merchandise online that is sold in the retail store. Plus, you can find more. Online shopping provides access to specialty retail stores and unique hard to find items that are not sold in your hometown.

Bargain hunters use online shopping to find the best deals. Instead of driving from one retail location to another, or one self storage property to another, online shoppers just need to maneuver a mouse. With a click here and a click there, online shoppers are just clicks away, not miles away, from finding the best price.

The most annoying part about retail store shopping is finding out that they are out of stock on the desired item when you get there. Would you want to spend your Saturday afternoon driving around your hometown search for a self storage unit only to come up empty? Online shopping is immune to such let downs. Most online shopping web sites display quantities available in inventory. So you know if they have an item in a storage room or not.

If you are not sure about the quality of a desired product or self storage unit, don’t take the commissioned salesperson’s word for it. Online shopping allows shoppers to read product reviews from customers who have already bought and experienced the product or storage unit.

From last minute shoppers to bargain hunters to self storage renters, online shopping benefits everyone. 

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What I love about the internet is the ability to conduct research. If you are online shopping for a storage unit for boat storage or shoe storage, use the internet to research different companies and information about self storage. Use the information gathered from the research to compare different self storage business. Not all self storage companies are the same. Each offers different amenities, such security. Not only can you compare the pricing of a self storage unit, you can see what exactly is in that price.

Online shopping can also answer questions that you did not consider asking a sales representative. A lot goes into self storage and you may not mull over different options like climate control units and food storage. Most self storage web sites offer full descriptions on what is offered in self storage and you may be interested in what as unknown to you before you did your research. Though a self storage call center representative and self storage property managers try to find the best option for your self storage needs, they may neglect to reveal all there is to know because there is a lot to know about self storage.

Visiting an online site is like visiting the self storage property itself. Storage companies like StorageMart display colorful pictures with full descriptions about the storage property. You may still want to visit the self storage property in person, but a least you will have a good feel what to expect. If you don’t like what you see while online shopping, you can remove it from your list of potential self storage units.

You may not decide to book your storage unit while online shopping because you still have some reservations. This is ok. At least from online shopping you will have educated yourself about the self storage industry. You will be ready to talk smartly with a customer sales representative and sound intelligent. Your confidence will convince you that you are getting the best value for your money.

Self storage companies with web sites come off as more professional. If a self storage company does not have a web site ready for online shopping, then it is stuck in the dark ages. This means that everything else about the self storage property is old world technology. The stuff you are storing is very valuable to you; that is why you are storing it. If a storage business does not have a web site, most likely they don’t have video surveillance and alarms. These are just a few amenities modern self storage properties offer.

If you are still not convinced that a certain self storage property is best for you while online shopping, the website should provide real reviews and customer testimonials. Take it from someone else who has had experience with a self storage business. 

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Like my friend, most people afraid of online shopping worry about identity theft and other scams; they fail to see the dangers associated with real world shopping. Online shopping is done sitting by eating chips and drinking beer on your couch while watching Sunday football games. Traveling to a shopping mall on a busy Sunday afternoon runs the risk of getting into a car accident. Have you ever seen the traffic around a shopping mall on any given Sunday? Minivans full of screaming kids whose parents denied them a Playstation video game clog up the roadways. These parents are distracted and can’t focus on the road.

Another argument is online shopping is vulnerable to identity and financial theft. But how many newspaper stories have you read about people getting mugged in the mall or in the mall parking lot. I bet every week you can find at least two in the local police blotter. Meanwhile millions of online shoppers make purchases everyday. The odd that you will be picked as a target are very slim if you take extra precautions. When a mugger steals your wallet or purse, he not only gets all of your money, your identification and credit cards are his too. An online thief might be able to find your personal information but he can not get your actual credentials. Also, can you fully trust the cashier with your credit card and check numbers? What is stopping them for steeling your identity and information?

So far we just went over the safety benefits of online shopping versus regular mall shopping. Here are a few more pluses for online shopping.

You might have to wait for your product to arrive in the mail when online shopping, but you don’t have to wait in line. I consider waiting in line a waste of my precious time.

Shopping online avoids annoying sales people who attempt to sell you things you are not interested in.

How about those annoying surveyors who just want a moment of your time, but there definition of a moment is 5 times 20.

Depending on where you shop, parking can be quite expensive. In cities where space in limited, so is free parking. Parking your bum on the couch if free. You may argue that shipping costs out way the parking costs, but many online shopping companies offer free shipping. Also, when you purchase a product from out of state, usually tax is eliminated.

So, to those who are still online shopping phobes, wake up and see the advantages of online shopping versus mall shopping. As a society we are accustomed to mall shopping; therefore, we tend to overlook the dangers. Online shopping is still relatively new, so the dangers advertised.

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• Online shop at a reputable online store
• Do a background check
• Check for seal of approval
• Find out what other online shoppers have to say
• Review shipping methods on return policies

So, now you should know how to find the right online shopping store. Let’s learn what to do before you give out your personal and credit card information. What is the online company asking for? They should just be asking the information necessary to get your purchase to your door. If they are asking for something more than just your name, address, phone number, and email be cautious. There is no reason they need your social security number, bank account number, or your mothers maiden name unless you are applying for credit. Some reputable companies will ask for your mother’s maiden name if they require you to set up an account with a password. Since they can’t check IDs to make sure you are who you say you are, they may ask question only you would know about yourself.

Is the online shopping web site you are shopping at use secure technology? Do you know how to find out? When you are at the page where it asks for your credit card and personal information make sure the web address at the top of the page begins with https and make sure a small yellow padlock appears at the bottom of the screen.

To increase your shopping online confidence, always check for new updates for your web browser. Web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer are always updating security features that make it easier to see which sites are more secure than others. These updates help protect against identity theft and other online shopping scams.

Like I had said in my last blog, use your instincts and common sense. If an alarm goes off in your head for some unknown reason, back out and find a site you are more comfortable with. There are probably hundreds of other sites selling the same product that you are interested in. Find one where you can online shop with confidence. The benefits the come with online shopping out way the hazards. Shopping at a mall or retail store can be just as dangerous or more than shopping online. The difference is more physical and financial from mall shopping.  

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Most of us shop whether it is online or the traditional way selecting a retailer by its brand or reputation. For instance, StorageMart is a leader in the self storage industry, so we can trust giving out our personal information on their website. However, the benefits of online shopping allow us to find unique items of interest sold from unknown retailers. Before you give out your credit card and personal information to one of these online shopping web sites , you want to make sure they are operating a secure and trustworthy web site.

Before you enter your name, address, and phone number make sure the online company has listed their postal information on the web page. If they don’t, move on to another online store. If they do have it listed, call and talk to a representative or request a catalog.

Look for third party seals of approval from such organizations as the Better Business Bureau Online or TRUSTe. Companies earn these seals if they abide by certain standards created by these trustworthy organizations. However, if they do have these seals, click on them to make sure they link to the organization and are put on the web site with permission. Most likely an online company will not post these seals without approval because it increases their chances of being caught.

If you visit web sites such as Epinions or Bizrate, you can find out what other customers have to say about their online shopping experiences with the company in question. People are most incline to write a bad review before a good review. So if your company has a good online shopping review, remember it must have been wonderful experience for someone to take the time to write. On the contrary, bad experiences are easily written driven by anger. If your company in question has no reviews, take that as a good sign.

Review the company’s policy on shipping methods and returns. The most difficult part about shopping online is not fully knowing what you bought is exactly what it is. Pictures can be deceiving. Sometimes an item looks larger in the picture than it does in person, or if you are buying clothes, you can’t try on a sweater though the computer. If the item is not what you expected or doesn’t fit, you want to make sure they will take it back and exchange it refund your money.

Lastly, trust your instincts. If you have a fishy feeling during your online shopping experience , skip the web site on move on to somewhere else.  

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Secret shopping also was used to train new employees. Like self storage, the wireless phone industry is highly competitive and the sales process is very intimidating to new hires. It takes time for new hires to find their niche and to feel comfortable on the sales floor or on a sales call. Secret shopping the competition allows them to understand the sales process from the customer’s viewpoint. Secret shopping a few competitors was encouraged to compare different sales approaches. Not all sales people and companies have the same standards and style, so it was important for the new hire to define what works and what doesn’t work.

After secret shopping, the new employee would report back to me and give a report about the experience. Together we would review his opinions of likes and dislikes compared to our expectations. Most likely I had already secret shopped the company before; therefore, I had a good idea of the secret shopping experience that the new hire practiced. As the saying goes, two minds are better than one, but more than two is even better. From the manager’s point of view, there is a lot that I learned from the experience too. Witnessing many different sales scripts allows you to pick out what you like and implement them in your own sales script.

Secrete shopping also was used as a weapon to counter customer’s gripes about our company compared to our competition. We were never involved in getting caught in a price war. If we did, we would have failed. As a smaller chain most of our competition was large retailers who bought in huge quantities for a cheaper price. On the contrary, we could only afford to buy enough inventories to stock one storage room shelf. So we had to sell value over price. Since our stores were specialized in wireless products, so was our sales team. Just like in the self storage industry, our company specializes in storage, so should our employees. In the wireless phone industry, we were not just a sales force, rather a place to get professional help on all wireless communication products. The same goes with self storage; self storage property managers should not take just reservations, but be a total storage consultant. This is why secret shopping is important whether you are checking out the competition or using it for sales training. By identifying competitive sales strategies you can act on them when they are dealt to you.

Most likely your competition is selling the same exact storage space as you. Sometimes there are differences, but not always. So to avoid getting into a price war, know how your competition is selling a self storage unit and counter on that.  

For more information about secret shopping, mystery shopping, or if you want to learn how to secret shop visit one of PhoneSmart’s secret shopping blogs or mystery shopping blogs .

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